On June 25th of 1630, the fork was introduced to the colonies by John Winthrop, the then governor of Massachusetts. This was huge. Without the fork the repertoire of sports announcers and trash talking athletes would be light a crucial cliché when there was a decisive event late in a contest. We’d also be forced to say there’s a “Y” in the road, so giving directions would frequently degrade into an Abbott and Costello skit: “Why in the road? Cause I’m trying to get to Albuquerque.” And you’d look totally uncool eating spaghetti. Chopsticks are OK for short distances (which is why the invention of the takee-outee carton was also huge as it not only provides transport from the restaurant but also a perfect container to elevate noodles closer to your mouth). To get all the way from the table you’re at distinct risk of staining your shirt, and if the noodles do make it to your mouth some will invariably hang out, which makes you look like a slob and necessitates uncouth slurping to finish the job. With the fork you can twirl your pasta and get it cleanly and couthly into your mouth.
Even though it was nearly 400 years ago we know the precise date because Governor Winthrop obsessively journalled his travels and travails. If he was around now he’d have a great blog. He documented his journey across the Atlantic in 1630 in fabulous detail. And lots of other interesting things. Like the death of a pervert in 1640: “A wicked fellow, given up to bestiality fearing to be taken by the hand of justice, fled to Long Island, and there was drowned. He confessed to some that he was so given up to that abomination that he never saw any beast go before him but he lusted after it.” And the conviction and hanging of a supposed witch (Margaret Jones of Charlestown), for a slew of reasons including being able to spontaneously grow extra tits (!!!): “she had (upon search) an apparent teat in her secret parts as fresh as if it had been newly sucked, and after it had been scanned, upon a forced search, that [teat] was withered and another began on the opposite side.” That trial would have made a great YouTube.
In honor of the day: a spaghetti recipe that takes advantage of the fact that Vidalia onion are at their peak, and that would be just about impossible to eat without a fork.
Pasta with Vidalia Onion Sauce
1.5 pounds spaghetti or other long pasta
4 large Vidalia onions
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chicken stock; plus additional
1 Tablespoon sugar
8 ounces goat cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
Parmesan-Reggiano for grating
S&P
Chop 2 of the onions into chunks coarsely; slice the other 2 thinly. Sweat the chopped onions in a tablespoon of oil until tender and translucent; about 5 minutes. Puree in food processor with the stock; add more if you need to get a good sauce consistency.
Saute remaining onions with the rest of the oil and the sugar over medium hear for about 20 minutes until they’re nicely brown and caramelized.
Reheat the sauce gently, cook and drain the pasta, and add it to the sauce and let it heat through for a few minutes. Crumble in the goat cheese, add the thyme, and mix to get the cheese somewhat melted but still a bit chunky. Transfer to a platter, top with the caramelized onions, sprinkle with the parsley, and grate some parmesan over the top.
3 comments:
Great to know the history of the fork. Next you'll have to research its two offshoots: the spork and the threek. I'm down with sporks, but fundamentally opposed to using a threek.
I saw the history of the "takee-outee" box last night on TV. At the turn of the 20th century they were used as "oyster buckets" for freshly shucked oysters in cities like New York. Of course, oysters being cheap and plentiful, and Al Gore not there to save us from ourselves, we ate 'em all. The "oyster bucket" guys thought quickly and and convinced Chinese eateries to use them....and take out food was born!
Oyster buckets? Great example of creative capitalism. And I like the phrase Oyster Bucket. It would make a good band name.
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